REBELS 2011
The Melbourne Rebels are new boys in Super Rugby and for that reason an unknown quantity. True they have played against pick-up teams from Tonga and Fiji, and lost narrowly to the Crusaders in pre-season action, but they have not been given a real stern test.
They have six New Zealanders, two Englishmen, a South African and a Welshmen in the side, whose name is not at all obvious. Several of their players have been playing overseas but have been brought back to Australia.
It may just be that the Rebels have not attracted as many players of class as they had hoped.
Based in Melbourne, the state of Victoria in Australia, they are the first privately owned professional Rugby Union team in Australia.
When SANZAR opened up for the 15th franchise, 10 bids were received - seven from Australia, two from New Zealand (Hawke's Bay and Taranaki) and the Southern Kings from South Africa.
The Australian expressions of interest included three from Victoria, one from Western Sydney, one from the Gold Coast, the NSWCRU (backed by John Singleton) and a second Queensland team.
Three expressions of interest came out of Victoria for new Super licence - the Vic Super 15 headed by Mark Ella and backed by Kevin Maloney, along with three former VRU directors, a Belgravia Group bid led by Geoff Lord (on behalf of the Melbourne Victory) and the Melbourne Rebels bid from the Victorian Rugby Union, with backing from media magnate Harold Mitchell with assistance from corporate consultants.
On August 12, 2009, the Australian Rugby Union endorsed Victoria as Australia's sole candidate city for the new licence in the Australian conference in the expanded 2011 Super 15 competition. They attempted to broker a deal that would consolidate the three bids as a singular entity that they hoped would be "overwhelmingly successful". The Melbourne Rebels bid petitioned the ARU to submit only one of the three bids to SANZAR.
The efforts to amalgamate these bids was fraught with politics. Investment banker John Wylie brokered a tentative agreement between the Melbourne Rebels and the Vic Super 15 that was announced in 2009.
Given that SANZAR could not reach a unanimous decision the matter was sent to arbitration. The arbitrators felt that the Southern Kings' bid was more advanced with regard to business and financial planning and organization structure and governance. They also felt that the Southern Kings also had a stronger player base and rugby tradition. Revenue however, from the sale of broadcasting rights to Australasian broadcasters, would be reduced by US$15–20m over the course of a five year agreement should the 15th team be resident in South Africa.
On November 12, 2009, after an arbitration process between themselves and South Africa's Southern Kings, Victoria was awarded the 15th Super Rugby licence, as it was considered more financially viable to SANZAR.
The bid was provisionally offered to the Vic Super 15 consortium, but an agreement could not be reached on the ownership model. They withdrew and the licence went to the Victorian Rugby Union's Melbourne Rebels.
Strengths: Their coach, their captain and the possibility of great support from sport-mad Melbourne.
Weaknesses: No tradition, a conglomerate of players of no obvious ability apart from ageing Stirling Mortlock and erratic Danny Cipriani. In some cases age may well be debilitating.
Noteworthy acquisitions: The entire squad.
Noteworthy losses: Not applicable
Coaches: Rod Macqueen, a coaching guru, is the head coach. Other coaches flocked to him to learn from him. That is not surprising as he had such success - a coach of winners. He made the Brumbies and coached the Wallabies to World Cup and Tri-Nations victories and for a series victory over the B&I Lions. He has come from retirement for this job. To help Macqueen there are Damian Hill, Nathan Grey (defence) and Mark Bakewell (forwards).
Captain: Stirling Mortlock, one of the all-time greats of Australian rugby, a strong, brave, skilled player used to captaincy, but will his body hold? He turns 34 in May and has had several tough injuries.
Potential bolter: JP du Plessis, a South African star in the making who went straight from his South African school to play rugby league for the Sydney Roosters.
2010 Position: Not applicable
Best finish: Not applicable
Worst finish: Not applicable
Home Venue: AAMI Stadium, Melbourne (capacity 30 000)
2010 Prospects: It would be a feat if the side did not come last in the Super 15.
Rebel squad (club of immediate origin in brackets): Peter Betham (Waratahs), Rodney Blake (Bayonne), Adam Byrnes (Reds), Alistair Campbell (Montpellier), Tom Chamberlain (Auckland), Danny Cipriani (London Wasps), Sam Cordingley (Grenoble), Tim Davidson (Leeds Carnegie), Gareth Delve (Gloucester), JP du Plessis (Sydney Roosters), Adam Freier (Waratahs), Mark Gerrard (NTT Communications, Japan), Nic Henderson (Force), James Hilgendorf (Force), Julian Huxley (Brumbies), Luke Jones (Force), Richard Kingi (Reds), Michael Lipman (Warringah), Hoani Macdonald (Newport Gwent Dragons), Lachie Mitchell (London Wasps), Stirling Mort (Brumbies), Kevin O'Neill (Chiefs), Nicholas Phipps (Sydney University), Hugh Pyle (Brumbies Academy), Ged Robinson (Wellington), Luke Rooney (Toulon), Jarrod Saffy (St George Illawarra Dragons), a convert from league, Greg Somerville (Gloucester), Afusipa Taumoepeau (Brumbies), Heath Tessman (Waratahs), Cooper Vuna (Newcastle Knights), Laurie Weeks (Reds)
Schedule:
Friday, 18 February: v Waratahs,home
Friday, 25 February: v Brumbies, home
Saturday, 5 March: v Chiefs, away
Friday, 11 March: v Sharks, home
Friday, 18 March: v Reds, away
Friday, 25 March: v Hurricanes, home
Saturday, 2 April: v Force, away
Saturday, 9 April: Bye
Friday, 15 April: v Highlanders, home
Friday, 22 April: v Blues, away
Saturday, 30 April: v Waratahs, away
Friday, 6 May: v Reds, home
Saturday, 14 May: v Bulls, away
Saturday, 21 May: v Cheetahs, away
Saturday 28 May: Bye
Friday, 3 June: v Stormers, home
Friday, 10 June: v Brumbies, away
Friday, 17 June: v Force, home